Isaías 56:2 Cabalá: Sha'arei Kedusha, Reshit Chokhmah & Sha'arei Orah

Shabbat is known to be equal to all of the mitzvot.⁶⁴⁷Midrash Shemot Rabba 25:12 Even the wicked are granted respite on Shabbat and the fires of purgatory (Gehinnom) are dimmed for them. However, when it comes to those who transgress Shabbat, their fires are not dimmed even on Shabbat.⁶⁴⁸Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 24, 69b Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,⁶⁴⁹Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 118b; Also see Shemot Rabba 25:12 ibid. “If only the Jewish people would keep two [consecutive] Shabbats in accordance with the Halachah-Torah law, they would be immediately redeemed.” Our sages, of blessed memory, also stated,⁶⁵⁰Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 118b ibid.; Also see Tzava’at HaRivash translated as The Way of The Baal Shem Tov, Section 18. “Anyone who observes Shabbat in accordance with its laws, even if he is an idolater like the generation of Enosh, he is forgiven, as it states,⁶⁵¹Isaiah 52:6 ‘Praiseworthy is the man (Enosh-אנוש) who does this and the person who grasps it tightly, who guards the Shabbat against desecration (Meichalelo-מחללו).’ Do not read it ‘against desecration (Meichalelo-מחללו),’ but rather, ‘he is forgiven (Machul Lo-מחול לו).’” It likewise is written,⁶⁵²Isaiah 58:13 “If you restrain your foot because it is the Shabbat, refrain from accomplishing your own desires on My holy day; If you proclaim the Shabbat ‘a delight,’ and the holy [day] of HaShem-יהו״ה ‘honored,’ and you honor it by not engaging in your own affairs, from seeking your own needs or discussing the forbidden – then you will delight in HaShem-יהו״ה, and I will mount you astride the heights of the world; I will provide you the heritage of your forefather Yaakov, for the mouth of HaShem-יהו״ה has spoken.”

Since we find that Rabbi Shimon related the sign of the Brit to the sign of Shabbat, Tefilin and Holidays, it seems that the damage is equal for all of them and we must be cautious with them all. The sages also say that whoever keeps Shabbat with all its laws all of his sins are atoned, as it says “keeping the Shabbat from profaning it (Mechalelo)” (Isaiah 56:2), don’t read Mechalelo but rather Machul Lo (he is atoned).

Know that a Jew who keeps the Shabbat according to Torah law (Halachah), that person becomes like the seat of the Chariot (Merkavah) of HaShem-יהו"ה, blessed is He. Shabbat is therefore called the resting-place-Menuchah-מנוחה, about which it is written,⁸⁴Psalms 132:14 “This is My resting-place for ever and ever.” It is as if HaShem-יהו"ה, blessed is He, rests upon human beings and dwells upon them like a king upon His throne. The sign for this is the verse,⁸⁵Exodus 20:11 “And He rested on the seventh day.” That is, He Himself rested.⁸⁶That is, the term “to rest-Lishbot-לשבת” also means “to rest upon” or “to sit-LaShevet-לשבת.” We thus find that whosoever keeps Shabbat according to Torah law (Halacha), it is as if he fulfills the entire Torah. About this the prophet said,⁸⁷Isaiah 56:2 “Happy is the man who does this and the person who upholds it; who guards from desecrating Shabbat and guards his hand from doing evil.”